Last



W. A. TURNER LAST Filed March 5, 192] character.

Patented June 3, 1%24.

WILLIAM A. TURNER, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

LAST.

Application filed March 5, 1921. Serial No. 449,610.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. TURNER, a citizen "of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain Improvements in Lasts, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to lasts of the divided type and it aims to devise an improved union between the parts of a last of this The invention is directed both to the improvement of the construction of the fore and heel parts of the last at their abutting faces, and also to the means that con nects these parts, and it aims to provide a sturdy construction which can be manufactured economically, which shall have ample strength to successfully withstand the rough usage to which a last is subjected during the manufacture of a shoe thereon, and which can be readily removed from or inserted in a shoe.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical cross section, of a last constructed in accordance with this invention Fig. 2 is an angular view of the heel portion of the last;

i Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the last in its collapsed or shortened condition; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the heel portion of a last of a slightly modified construction.

The construction shown comprises a heel part 2 and a forepart 3. The abutting faces of these parts are stepped, as clearly shown in the drawings. That is, they are separated by' a line of out having two portions 4 and 5, respectively, inclined downwardly and. forwardly, one of these portions terminating at the upper face of the heel part and the other terminating at the bottom ortread face of the last, and these two portions are connected by an intermediate portion or step 6 which extends substantially horizontally.

The forepart and heel part are connected by a link 8, the forward endof which is pivotally secured by a pin 9 to the forepart 3 and the rearward end of this link is-mounted on a pivot pin 10 that extends transversely through the heel part. The link is slotted to receive the pivot pin 10 and a spiral spring 12 is mounted inthe slot and bears atone end against the pin lOand' at its opposite end against the rearward end of the slot. This construction thus provides a yielding link connection between the fore and heel parts of the last.

For the purpose of locking the last parts in their extended relationship a transverse pin 14 is secured in the inclined face 4 of the heel part, and a notch 15 is cut transversely in the corresponding face of the forepart to receive this pin when the parts are in their extended relationship, as shown in Fig.1. It will be observed that the spring 12 tends to'hold the pin 14 in the notch 15 and thus to lock the parts yieldingly in their extended condition. In order to collapse the last the fore and heel parts must be separated slight- 1y against the tension of the spring 12 to lift the pin 14 out of the notch 15, after which the heel part 2 may swing downwardly and forwardly relatively to the forepart into the shortened or collapsed position. In this position the pin 14 rests just under a corner 16, Fig. 3, on the abutting face of the forepart, the spring, however, being slightly tensioned at this time so that it tends to lock the parts of the last in this condition also. Narrow slots are cut in the fore and heel parts to receive the link 8.

The forepart 3 is provided witha spindle socket or thimble 17 to receive the jack spindle or post instead of this member being located in the heel part, as usual, and attention is directed to the fact that this spindle socket is located immediately over the relatively flat face 6. This construction, therefore, provides ample surface to receive the blow of the heeling machine. Attention is also directed to the fact that as the forepart 3 is withdrawn from the shoe the last begins to shorten immediately after the pin 14 has been moved out 'of the socket 15 and that the last shortens very rapidly thereafter. Consequently, both theremoval of the last from a shoe, and also the operation of inserting the last in the shoe which requires a reversal of these movements, are facilitated.

The modified form shown in Fig. 4 is like that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 except that the step or intermediate portionconnecting the inclined faces 4 and 5 of the heel part is rounded asshown and the abutting face of the forepart is correspondingly shaped. In this construction the interme diate portion 6 can be formed as a continuation of the sawing; operation" which formsthe face 5 so that the fore and heel parts can be separated simply by making two saw cuts. In t-he constructionabove described-two saw cut's are m'ade' andthe last then split to form thefst'ep 6; These constructions each has advantages which detel-mines the formthat will be i used 1 in any particular case.

3 While I'h'a-ve herein shown and described the best embodiment of the invention of part downwardly and forwardly relatively to the forepart, and meansconnccting said parts and tending to holdithe last in either its" collapsed on its extended condition.

2. A last of the character described, comprisinga forepart and a-heel part separated by a line of cut permitting a: shortening of the last by a movement of the heel part downwardlyand forwardly relatively to the forepart and means having a pivotal connection with eachof said parts and securing said parts together;

3'. A last of the character described, co1nprisingja forepart and a heel part movable into either a collapsed or extended relationship, and a spring and link connection between said parts, said spring being housed by said link.

4. A last of the character described, com prising'a forepart and a heel part movable into either a collapsed or extended relationship, and means permanently connecting said parts tending to hold their abutting faces together both in collapsed and extended relationship but capable of yielding to permit the parts to separate.

5'. A last' of the character described, com risin a fore iartand a heel aart movable into either acollapsed or extended relationship, a link connecting said parts, said link having a pin and slot connection with one of said parts, and a spring acting through said connection to urge said parts toward each other.

6. A; last of the character described, comprising a heel part and a forepart, the forward face of said heel part comprising two inclined portions extending downwardly andforwardly, one terminating at the upper face of the last and the other atthe bottomof the-last, and an intermediate part connecting saidportions, said forepart having. an; abutting face shaped to cooperate with said heel part, and connecting means securing said fore and heel parts permanently together.

7 A last of the character described, comprising a forepart and a heel part connected for relative movement into collapsed or extended relationship, saidforepart having. a stepped abutting. face cooperating with a similar face on the. heel part to limit, the relative movement. of said parts in one direction, a projection carried by the heel part to engage a portion of the forepart'. andhold said parts against relative movement. in the OPPOSltB, direction, and connecting means between said partscooperating with said projection and said? abutting faces to hold the last in either its collapsed or-extended condition.

8 A last of the character described, comprisinga forepart and a heel part movable into collapsed or extended relationship, and

means. permanently connecting said parts and enabhngthem to yield away from each other, said fore and heel partshaving abutting faces including portions that interlock when the last is: in extended condition whereby said parts must be separated somewhat before .the. last. can be collapsed.

9. A last of the character described. comprising a forepart and a heel part movable into collapsed or extended relationship, and a yielding. link connecting said parts, said forepart and heel parts having abut-tin faces provided with parts that interlocfi when the last is. in its extended condition whereby said link must yield to permit the collapsing movement of the last.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM A. TURNER. 

